1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for cutting a keyslot in a workpiece bore and more particularly to such a tool which is usable with an automatic metal machining device of the type having a plurality of tools for performing a number of machining operations on a workpiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tools for cutting a keyslot on the radially inner surface of a workpiece bore are known in the art. The term "keyslot" as used herein refers to any slot or groove formed on the radially inner surface of a bore whether the groove or slot is used to accommodate a key or for other purposes such as to provide a channel for lubricant or to accommodate a splined connection.
Some such prior art tools are illustrated in National Machine Tool Company Catalog No. 18. Tools illustrated therein include a cutter wheel turned in response to rotation of a shaft. The tool is designed to be used with a drill press which turns the shaft thereby rotating the cutter wheel. When the tool is inserted in a workpiece bore and the cutter wheel bears against the radially inner surface of the bore, a slot or groove is formed.
Such prior art tools are not usable with state of the art numerically-controlled (N.C.) machines which are programmable to drive a plurality of tools for automatically machining a workpiece. Such machines include a carriage for storing a plurality of machining tools and a driving mechanism into which different ones of the tools are automatically inserted by the machine for performing machining operations on a workpiece which is releasably secured to the machine.
Each such tool is mounted on a drive spindle having a taper and a tension stud on one end thereof which is receivable into and cooperates with the driving mechanism for imparting rotary motion to the tool. The machine can thus be programmed to perform a number of different machining operations, such as boring and milling, in a predetermined sequence.
While such N.C. machines adequately perform the various machining functions, none of the presently available tools for use with such machines can cut a keyslot in the workpiece bore. Thus, when the design of a machined part calls for such keyslot, the workpiece must be removed from the N.C. machine and placed on a different machine, such as a broaching machine or a drill press having a miller like that shown in the National Machine Tool catalog.
It would be desirable to have a spindle-mounted tool usable with such a machine for cutting a keyslot in a workpiece bore. Such a tool would eliminate the need to transfer the workpiece to a separate machine for manually cutting a keyslot and would permit the keyslot to be cut as part of the computer-controlled operation of the workpiece machining.